3D Robot Teaching Interface for Visualizing End Effector Paths
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing offline teaching methods for industrial robots lack visualization of the end effector's working position and path, making it difficult to achieve accurate and efficient programming without actual machine operation, which requires significant skill and time.
Innovation Solution
A robot teaching device that displays teaching point markers, joined paths, changing point markers, and actual paths on a GUI, allowing operators to dynamically adjust these visualizations to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of offline teaching by enabling real-time changes to the teaching points and paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If offline teaching is performed without visualization of end effector path and working position, then the teaching process can be performed without actual machine operation, but the accuracy and efficiency of programming deteriorates due to lack of visual feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the robot system including 3D models of the robot, end effector, and workpiece in a virtual space. This virtual model replicates the physical system's geometry and motion characteristics, allowing accurate offline programming with visual feedback. The teaching point markers and path visualizations in the virtual model enable precise programming without requiring actual machine operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a visualization interface as an intermediary between the programmer and the robot system. This interface displays teaching point markers, joined paths, and actual paths in 3D space, providing visual feedback that mediates the programming process. The visualization allows programmers to accurately define teaching points and adjust paths without direct machine operation.
2Measurement precision
If actual machine operation is used for teaching, then programming accuracy can be achieved through empirical knowledge, but the time required and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary visualization and path planning in the virtual space before actual machine operation. Programmers can define teaching points, adjust paths, and simulate robot motion in advance using the visualization interface. This preliminary action in virtual space eliminates the need for time-consuming trial-and-error adjustments on the actual machine.
Solution Approach 2:
By creating and manipulating a virtual copy of the robot system, the patent enables accurate programming without requiring prolonged actual machine operation. The virtual model preserves all geometric and kinematic properties, allowing programmers to achieve the same accuracy as empirical teaching would provide, but much faster.
3Ease of operation
If teaching points are defined without visual feedback on end effector path, then the teaching process is simpler, but the ability to predict working position and path accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays visual representations (markers and paths) in the virtual 3D space that correspond to the actual robot's end effector positions and trajectories. These visual copies provide intuitive feedback about working positions and path accuracy while maintaining simple point-and-click teaching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses different visual markers to represent different types of teaching points (e.g., teaching point markers for target positions, changing point markers for working state changes). This visual differentiation simplifies the teaching process by making it easy to identify and adjust different elements while providing comprehensive path and position information.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To enhance the productivity of an offline teaching work by visualizing the working position, path, and the like of an end effector in offline teaching. A robot teaching device (1), includes: a teaching point marker display unit configured to display, on a GUI, teaching point markers (5) for marking teaching points in a three-dimensional modeling space in which at least a three-dimensional model of a robot (3) including an end effector (3a) and a three-dimensional model of a work piece (4) are arranged, the teaching points serving as target passing points of the end effector (3a); a joined path display unit configured to display, on the GUI, a joined path (6), which is a path connect ing successive points among the teaching points to each other; and a changing point marker display unit configured to display, on the GUI, a changing point marker (7) marking a point at which a working state of the end effector (3a) changes.